Ekangi

Ekangi (Kannada: ಏಕಾಂಗಿ) is a 2002 Indian Kannada language film written, directed by and starring Ravichandran. He also wrote film's screenplay and composed the music. The film features Ramya Krishna and Prakash Rai in pivotal roles, and Vanitha Vasu, Sridhar, Ramesh Bhat and Sadhu Kokila who appear in supporting roles. With the film, Ravichandran's reputation as an experimenter grew, having erected a house of ₹ 80 lakh exclusively for the film and spending heavily in filming song sequences, an unusual trend in Kannada cinema during the time.[1] It was also the first in Kannada and second Indian film to employ SFX sound system.

Ekangi
Directed byRavichandran
Produced byRavichandran
Written byRavichandran
Screenplay byRavichandran
Story byRavichandran
Starring
Music byRavichandran
CinematographyG. S. V. Seetharam
Edited byShyam Yadav
Production
company
Eshwari Enterprises
Release date
  • 21 March 2002 (2002-03-21)
Running time
130 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageKannada

The film received warm reviews from film critics and won five awards at the 2001–02 Karnataka State Film Awards including the award for Second Best Film and Best Actor (Ravichandran). It was an ambitious project, but failed to succeed at the box-office, even though following the audience's hostile response after its theatrical release, almost 20 scenes were re-shot and re-edited before re-releasing it with censor acceptance. Ravichandran was said to have suffered a loss of ₹ 2 crore owing to the film's commercial failure.[2]

Cast

Production

For the film, a multi-storeyed glass house was built. Built just for the film and at a cost of ₹ 80 lakh, it was an unusual experiment by the director and producer Ravichandran at the time, considering that a similar house was erected even for Ravichandran's previous film O Nanna Nalle. Close to 80% of the film's scenes were filmed in the house.[3][4] EFX sound system was employed in the film for the first time in Kannada cinema and second overall.

Following the film's first theatrical release and a hostile response from the audience, close to 20 scenes of the film were re-shot and re-edit before giving it a re-release, a first of its kind in Kannada cinema.[5]

Soundtrack
Ekangi
Soundtrack album by
Ravichandran
Released2001
GenreFeature film soundtrack
Length48:21
LabelJhankar Music
Ravichandran chronology
O Nanna Nalle
(2002)		 Ekangi
(2001)		 Kodandarama
(2002)

Ravichandran composed the film's background score, soundtracks and also wrote the lyrics for the tracks. The album consists of nine soundtracks.[6] The album was released in late 2001, in Davangere, at an event.[7]

Track listing
No.TitleLyricsSinger(s)Length
1."Banna Bannada Loka"RavichandranShankar Mahadevan5:08
2."Ee Chitte Thara Banna"RavichandranL. N. Shastry5:54
3."Hudugi Superamma"RavichandranSuresh Peters, Anupama, Rajesh Krishnan4:54
4."Nannane Kele Nanna Pranave"RavichandranHariharan5:50
5."Nee Madid Thappa"RavichandranRajesh Krishnan11:18
6."Nee Yekangiyagamma"RavichandranMadhu Balakrishnan4:40
7."Once Upon a Time"RavichandranSonu Nigam4:15
8."Ondu Nimisha"RavichandranS. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Anuradha Sriram4:47
9."Ekangi Theme"RavichandranInstrumental1:35
Total length:48:21

Critical reception

The album was received well by critics upon release. But, for the lyrics, the album received appreciation. Amritamati S. of The Music Magazine reviewed the album and called it, "Symphonic grandeur on dumb lyrics". She added writing credits to the solo violin, guitar bits and the piano play among other highlights of the album. She concluded writing, "The quality of recording is excellent. Full marks to the string ensemble, and to the other instrumentalists. But you will be disappointed if you look for poetry, or even the street-smart variety of verse that Hamsalekha specialises in."[7]

Awards

Karnataka State Film Awards 2001-02

Aftermath

Having suffered from huge losses after the film failed commercially, Ravichandran took the blame for the film's failure. In an interview with Deccan Herald in December 2004, speaking of the film's failure, he said "it shattered him mentally and physically."[8] The failure of the film influenced him hugely and his style of filmmaking.[9]

References
  1. "Veterans still hold the key". The New Indian Express. 14 March 2010. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  2. "2002 Year Round Up". chitraloka.com. 30 December 2002. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  3. "Ravichandran's new home". The Times of India. 26 September 2001. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  4. "Waiting with hope". The Hindu. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  5. ""Yekangi" gets a facelift!". The Hindu. 18 April 2002. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  6. "Ekangi (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". iTunes. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  7. "Symphonic grandeur on dumb lyrics". themusicmagazine.com. 26 November 2001. Archived from the original on 17 December 2001. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  8. "A true 'kanasugara'". Deccan Herald. 5 December 2004. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  9. "Scaling new heights". Deccan Herald. 31 May 2010. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
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